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Who else can support me?
Friends & Family: Old friends, new friends, friends of your friends. Making new friends is not always easy.
You might meet new friends where you live, work, or go to school. You might meet new friends in leisure settings
like at clubs, the YMCA, gyms, classes, restaurants, places of worship, Special Olympics, or volunteering. You could
get involved at your child's school and meet other parents at events there.
Person-centered planning can help.
Relatives: Close relatives, extended relatives, and even your relatives' friends and people they know.
Internet: Always be careful on the internet! There can be danger.
But the internet can also be very helpful. There are online support groups, facebook groups, and You Tube videos.
For example, if you feel down and go on You Tube, you can put "coping skills" in the search.
Or if you are struggling with your child who has ADHD, you can search "parenting a child who has ADHD" in Google or
facebook and you can find advice or other parents who share the same challenges as you.
Employment: Co-workers, job coaches and other people you meet at work.
Neighbors and Networking: Neighbors in your building or in your neighborhood. Networking is interacting with lots
of different people you meet all over. You can exchange information and make social connections.
For example, you might be talking to the custodian in your building and mention you're having a rough day because
your teenagers are not helping around the house. The custodian might have a cousin who also has teenagers. The
cousin might want to talk with you. You might even end up joining a support group together.
Animals: Pets and animals can be very calming and supportive. They can help people with a lot of different issues.
People can also get qualified service animals to help support them and their individual needs.
Direct Services & Paid Agencies: Sometimes you might need support from paid professionals. This could include
direct care staff who help you, home health aides, doctors, mentors, counselors, or therapists. You can also call case
managers who help you from DDS, DHMAS, Community Action Agencies, or other agencies.
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